Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:
- That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
- We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
- On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.
By learning about Sweet Valley (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.
As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Sweet Valley. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.
Name Variations for Sweet Valley ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Sweet Valley: Sweet Vly. (or less commonly used: Sweet Vally. or Sweet Vlly.)
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
Neighboring Counties ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived: their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the east contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Sweet Valley is located in Luzerne County.
To see how the shape of Pennsylvania's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Luzerne County: Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Monroe, Schuylkill, Sullivan & Wyoming.
Below are the counties that are near Sweet Valley. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Sweet Valley:
- Luzerne County (The home county of Sweet Valley)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sweet Valley, with the one closest to Sweet Valley listed first.
- Prichard
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Prichard is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prichard
- Pikes Creek
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pikes Creek is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikes Creek
- Loyalville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Loyalville is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyalville
- Meeker
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Meeker is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meeker
- Bloomingdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bloomingdale is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
- Pleasant Valley
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Valley is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
- Rittenhouse
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Rittenhouse is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rittenhouse
- Cease Mills
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Cease Mills is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cease Mills
- Lehman
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Hunlock Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mossville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Mossville is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mossville
- Harveys Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Harveyville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Harveyville is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harveyville
- Bradford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sweet Valley, with the one closest to Sweet Valley listed first.
- Wilmot
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Wilmot is located in Bradford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot
- Laddsburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Laddsburg is located in Bradford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laddsburg
- Sugar Run
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- New Era
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- New Era is located in Bradford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Era
- Wyalusing
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Evergreen
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Evergreen is located in Bradford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen
- New Albany
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Overton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Overton is located in Bradford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Overton
- Marshview
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Marshview is located in Bradford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshview
- Homets Ferry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Homets Ferry is located in Bradford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homets Ferry
- Carbon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sweet Valley, with the one closest to Sweet Valley listed first.
- Coxes Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Coxes Village is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coxes Village
- Coxes Village has also been known as:
- Cross Village
- Tresckow
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Tresckow is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tresckow
- Beaver Meadows
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- East Side
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- East Side is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Side
- Population from the 2020 Census: 301 people
- Leslie Run
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Leslie Run is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leslie Run
- Weatherly
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hudsondale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hudsondale is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudsondale
- Mud Run
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mud Run is located in Carbon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mud Run
- Columbia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sweet Valley, with the one closest to Sweet Valley listed first.
- Jamison City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Jamison City is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamison City
- Benton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Jonestown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Jonestown is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonestown
- Foundryville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Foundryville is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foundryville
- Stillwater
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Waller
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Waller is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waller
- Zaner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Zaner is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zaner
- Berwick
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Briar Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Briar Creek is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briar Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 672 people
- Rohrsburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rohrsburg is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rohrsburg
- Jackson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Jackson is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Coles Mill
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Coles Mill is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coles Mill
- Hetlerville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Hetlerville is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hetlerville
- Lackawanna County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sweet Valley, with the one closest to Sweet Valley listed first.
- Lawrenceville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Lawrenceville is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrenceville
- Old Forge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Milwaukee
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Milwaukee is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milwaukee
- Belian Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Belian Village is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belian Village
- Moosic
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Taylor
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Schultzville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Schultzville is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schultzville
- Minooka
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Minooka is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minooka
- Scranton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Clarks Summit
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Clarks Green
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Clarks Green is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarks Green
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,383 people
- Dalton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Glenburn
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Glenburn is located in Lackawanna County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenburn
- Lycoming County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sweet Valley, with the one closest to Sweet Valley listed first.
- Richarts Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Richarts Grove is located in Lycoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richarts Grove
- Lungerville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Lungerville is located in Lycoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lungerville
- Unityville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Biggerstown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Biggerstown is located in Lycoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biggerstown
- Beaver Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Beaver Lake is located in Lycoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Lake
- Lairdsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Lairdsville is located in Lycoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lairdsville
- Montour County
- Exchange
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Exchange is located in Montour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exchange
- Schuylkill County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sweet Valley, with the one closest to Sweet Valley listed first.
- Nuremberg
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Oneida
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Oneida is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneida
- Sheppton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Zion Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Kelayres
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Kelayres is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelayres
- McAdoo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Ferndale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Ferndale is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferndale
- Girard Manor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Girard Manor is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Girard Manor
- Brandonville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Brandonville is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandonville
- Lofty
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Lofty is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lofty
- Ringtown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Delano
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Delano is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delano
- Krebs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Krebs is located in Schuylkill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Krebs
- Sullivan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sweet Valley, with the one closest to Sweet Valley listed first.
- Bernice
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bernice is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernice
- Shinerville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Shinerville is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shinerville
- Long Brook
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Long Brook is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Brook
- Laporte
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dushore
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Sonestown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Beech Glen
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Beech Glen is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech Glen
- Eagles Mere
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Forksville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Millview
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Millview is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millview
- Ogdonia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Ogdonia is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogdonia
- Susquehanna County
- Springville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wyoming County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sweet Valley, with the one closest to Sweet Valley listed first.
- Noxen
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Beaumont
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Beaumont is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaumont
- Mill City ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mill City is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill City
- Evans Falls
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Evans Falls is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans Falls
- Vernon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Vernon is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon
- Jenks
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jenks is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenks
- Forkston
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Forkston is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forkston
- South Eaton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- South Eaton is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Eaton
- Jenningsville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Jenningsville is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenningsville
- Mehoopany Station
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Mehoopany Station is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mehoopany Station
- Stowell
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Stowell is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stowell
- Osterhout
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Osterhout is located in Wyoming County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osterhout
- Tunkhannock
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Sweet Valley, see our County-by-County Page for Sweet Valley.
Cemeteries Near Sweet Valley ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sweet Valley.
This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.
Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Sweet Valley - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Sweet Valley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Sweet Valley, with the one closest to Sweet Valley listed first.
- Oaklawn Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Maple Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Moore Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bronson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Broadway Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Benscoter Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benscoter Cemetery
- The Benscoter Cemetery has also been known as:
- Arnold - Benscote Cemeetery
- St. Casimirs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Lateer Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Marvin Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Good Shepherd Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Benscoter Family Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (228 more) ...
- Sorberton Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Ceasetown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
Nearby Communities in 1895 ...
We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Sweet Valley had a population of 240 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Sweet Valley, with the one closest to Sweet Valley listed first.
- Prichard
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Prichard is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prichard
- Pikes Creek
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pikes Creek is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikes Creek
- Muhlenberg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Muhlenberg is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muhlenberg
- Weintz
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Weintz is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weintz
- Silkworth
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Silkworth is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silkworth
- Kyttle
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Kyttle is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kyttle
- Bloomingdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bloomingdale is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
- Meeker
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Meeker is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meeker
- Loyalville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Loyalville is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyalville
- Rittenhouse
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Rittenhouse is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rittenhouse
- Pleasant Valley
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Valley is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
- Outlet
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Outlet is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Outlet
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Ripple ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ripple is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripple
- Hunlock Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cease Mills
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Cease Mills is located in Luzerne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cease Mills
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Sweet Valley. See our List of 1890's Communities around Sweet Valley.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Sweet Valley ...
An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).
To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.
Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 90 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sweet Valley.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Sweet Valley. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Sweet Valley and those printed in the larger area surrounding Sweet Valley.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4> of Sweet Valley.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer websites offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.
To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Sweet Valley:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Luzerne County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bradford County
- Carbon County
- Columbia County
- Lackawanna County
- Lycoming County
- Montour County
- Schuylkill County
- Sullivan County
- Susquehanna County
- Wyoming County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Pennsylvania
Footnotes ...
| <1> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <2> | The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com. |
| <3> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Sweet Valley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Sweet Valley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |